Bangkok (Thailand) – March 21, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Singularity University (SU), a renowned network of Silicon Valley thought leaders and innovators that empowers executives to transform industries and solve global challenges using exponential technologies, has announced its first summit in Southeast Asia. The SingularityU Thailand Summit 2018 will take place on June 19 and 20, 2018, at the InterContinental Bangkok.

The SingularityU Thailand Summit 2018 is one of the first events and initiatives of Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd., an organization that aims to accelerate Thailand's growth potential beyond existing economic models and social development.

Dr. John Leslie Millar, head of Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd., said: “Since its inception in 2008, Singularity University has successfully established itself as a key player in the global innovation landscape. With its focus on creating positive change in the world through exponential thinking and addressing global challenges, SingularityU summits are recognized as vital catalysts for real change and solutions. For nearly a decade, SingularityU has brought together leading figures and experts in a range of events, conferences, and educational programs to foster stimulating discussions and action that have a real impact on businesses, industries, societies, and global communities.”

As part of the two-day summit, the SingularityU Thailand Summit 2018 will examine how fundamental shifts in thinking affect the wider consequences of technological progress and how the combined impact of these transitions will change everything about daily life.

Participants can expect topics such as: groundbreaking thinking, the history and future of artificial intelligence, the future of digital health and medicine, the future of energy, tomorrow's finances, and global challenges.

At the announcement event at the FYI Center in Bangkok on March 20, 2018, representatives of leading Thai companies, including Ananda Development, SCB, Deloitte and the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), participated in a panel discussion on the exponential growth potential in Thailand and beyond.

Chanond Ruangkritya, President and CEO of Ananda Development PCL, stated: “Ananda Development’s vision and commitment is to continuously improve the quality of life for city dwellers. In this age of change, the real estate sector is also undergoing massive transformations. This is due to rapid changes in customer lifestyles, demographic shifts, and the ever-increasing need for better and faster data access to enable improved products, services, and facilities. Our ultimate goal is to leverage exponential technologies to further enhance the quality of life in all aspects of modern life—in terms of safety, speed, and convenience in housing, commuting, working, healthcare, and finance.”

Orapong Thien-ngern, CEO of Digital Ventures – SCB’s fintech subsidiary – explained: “The financial industry is being fundamentally transformed by exponential technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, and quantum computing. As SCB’s fintech arm, we are committed to driving this transformation in banking through innovation, investment, and supporting Thai companies so they can grow alongside SCB. Our research and development is based on these key technologies and leads to the development of new services and an improved customer experience for both SCB and its clients. In a world of exponential technological innovation, many executives and entrepreneurs are asking the most pressing question: What’s next? For years, Deloitte and Singularity University (SU) have been working together to provide answers and prepare leaders for the future – from ideation to implementation,” added Dr. Janson Yap, Head of Asia Pacific, Deloitte Global Risk Advisory, and Head of Innovation Practice at Deloitte Southeast Asia.

Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, Director of the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), said that at a time when innovation is a major driver for the country's economy, it is time for the public and private sectors to work together and lead Thailand to exponential growth through technology.

“It is also necessary to establish a foundation for collaboration with non-profit organizations and healthcare providers, and to train digital professionals at all levels to advance the country with exponential technology,” he added. “For Thailand, it is time to evolve Thailand 4.0 from a strategic direction into a concrete solution for future challenges,” said Dr. Millar. “For Southeast Asia, it is time for us as a community to realize our potential and move beyond our role as a regional innovation hub. The first step, however, is to help leaders and decision-makers in government and the private sector understand what exponential technology is, how it has been the key driver of global change over the past decade, and what the future could look like with exponential thinking.”

Dr. Supachai Parchariyanon of the SingularityU Bangkok Chapter and founder of RISE, one of Thailand's largest innovation accelerators, was also present at the press conference. He explained that the goal of the SingularityU Summits is to stimulate change by raising new questions about the impact of innovation on productivity, talent, industries, and public policy.

“Our goal with the summit was to paint a before-and-after picture of the places visited and of Thailand. We hope that this will spark a number of initiatives that promote innovation in Thailand’s industry,” he added.

The SingularityU Thailand Summit is supported by leading Thai and international organizations, including Ananda Development, SCB, Deloitte, the Digital Economy Promotion Agency (DEPA), the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET), the National Innovation Agency (NIA), Startup Thailand and the Thai section of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO).

Examples of speakers include: – David Roberts, Vice President of Singularity University and one of the world's leading experts on disruptive and exponential technologies – John Hagel, Co-Chair of the World Economic Forum's Global Future Council on the Future of Platforms and Systems and Co-Chair of the Deloitte Center for the Edge – Daniel Kraft, Head of Exponential Medicine at Singularity University and a physician and scientist trained at Stanford and Harvard – Vivienne Ming, theoretical neuroscientist and co-founder of Socos, a company that combines machine learning, cognitive neuroscience, and economics to improve life chances in education and employment – ​​Ramez Naam, computer scientist, futurist, business angel, and award-winning author – Mandy Simpson, CEO of the Wellington-based consulting firm CyberToa – Nathaniel Calhoun, Executive Director of Singularity University's Global Solutions Program (GSP) and Vice Chair of Global Grand Challenges

Further information and tickets can be found on the SingularityU Thailand Summit 2018 website at

About the SingularityU Summits: The SingularityU Summits are two-day conferences held globally that help local leaders understand how exponential technologies can drive positive change and economic growth in their region. The Summits are evolving into an annual gathering and source of inspiration for the local community, a catalyst for a local innovation culture, and a platform to showcase groundbreaking technologies, startups, and ideas. The SingularityU Summits are geared toward the general public, government officials, entrepreneurs, investors, NGOs, impact partners, and educators, and may include educational programs for government officials and young people.

About Singularity University: Singularity University (“SU”) is a global learning and innovation community that harnesses exponential technologies to tackle the world’s greatest challenges and create a future of abundance for all.

Our collaborative platform empowers individuals and organizations to learn, connect, and develop innovative solutions using cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and digital biology. Our offerings include educational programs, conferences, innovation workshops, accelerator programs for companies and startups, social impact programs, and online news and content.

Our global community spans more than 110 countries and includes entrepreneurs, corporations, development organizations, governments, investors, and academic institutions. Through over 370 impact-oriented initiatives, the SU community drives positive change in the areas of health, environment, security, education, energy, food, prosperity, water, space, disaster preparedness, housing, and governance.

SU is a certified Benefit Corporation, founded in 2008 by renowned innovators Ray Kurzweil and Peter Diamandis. It collaborates with leading organizations such as Google, Deloitte, Genentech, and UNICEF. SU is headquartered in the NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley. For more information, visit SU.org, our Facebook page, and follow us on Twitter at @SingularityU.

About Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd.: The SingularityU Thailand Summit is hosted by Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. in Bangkok, Thailand. Exponential Social Enterprise Co., Ltd. is an organization dedicated to unlocking Thailand's growth potential beyond existing economic models and social development. We aim to share our expertise and offer seminars to prepare for exponential changes that will impact all sectors – business, society, and community.